St. Clair || Stilinski [2]

Forty-One || A Sky of Stars and Lies

|| A Sky of Stars and Lies

     Although much had changed since the first time Jacy Parrish disappeared in the middle of the night, she still found herself taking a dimly lit path where she wasn't meant to be.

     It had been two days since her return to her friends, and she had made a point not to have anyone stay the night with her for safety.

     Her desire for their safety was beyond important. It always had been.

     Answers, however, were important as well.

     Jacy, complacent with her pajamas of leggings and an oversized University of Michigan long sleeve, slid on a ragged pair of sneakers and took a deep breath as she stood in the middle of her lightless bedroom.

     Her locator skills were impeccable.

     She, however, realized she didn't need to go very far to find what she was searching for. Jacy left her room, careful not to disturb a sleeping Aaron on the foot of her bed. She glanced past her mother's door, the Doctor still sleeping peacefully as her daughter descended the staircase.

     Jacy opened the front door of the Dane house, finding Theo Raeken leaning patiently against his truck on street.

     "I was wondering if you'd sense me," he said, knowing full well she could hear him clear across the lawn.

     Jacy, although unable to be cold, folded her arms absently across her chest as she met him on the sidewalk. "I was about to go find you, actually."

     "Always in sync, Parrish," Theo replied with a soft grin.

     "You're pretty jovial for someone whose ruined my life."

     Theo's charming smirk fell away, pushing himself up from his truck. "Oh, come on, Jacy."

    She shook her head, holding a finger out as he took a step toward her. "Don't try to act innocent, Theo. There's no point in pretending."

     "Okay," he held up defenseful hands, "all right. Fair enough. Can we talk about it? We haven't had a chance since-"

     "Since the five month anesthesia wore off?" she questioned in response. "But I would argue that we've never had a conversation with all of the cards on the table, ever."

     "Jacy-"

     "Theo, just give me a minute, okay? Let me voice this because I will literally explode if I don't," she countered. "Every unoccupied moment I have is filled with the heartbreak you've cause me. Flashes of swim practice, driver's training. Hours of studying. Hockey games. Eight years of friendship that meant nothing."

     "This is why I wanted to talk to you," Theo paused. "Please let me explain."

     She looked defiantly into his eyes. "Then explain."

     "Can we go somewhere?"

     "Forgive me if I don't trust you. I don't exactly feel inclined to."

     "What's open?" he asked. "We can go somewhere public if that makes you feel better."

     "It's past midnight in Beacon," Jacy countered. "This isn't Ann Arbor. Nothing's open now."

     "Where can we go?" Desperation filled his voice. "I just, I need to talk to you. To explain myself." He motioned behind himself. "We can take the truck and park it somewhere."

     "So your zombie pack can descend on us? No, I don't think so."

     Theo's brows furrowed. "You know about that?"